Ask Sam: What can I do if my landlord is renting stabilized apartments on Airbnb?

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My neighbor recently moved out of their rent-stabilized apartment (one of the few left in our building), and instead of finding a new tenant, the landlord has been renting it out on Airbnb. Is it legal for them to do this? What can we do?

Though it would be legal (if strange) for your landlord to simply let your former neighbor's rent-stabilized apartment sit empty, to use it for short-term rentals "is clearly illegal," Himmelstein says.

Thankfully, the solution on your end is simple. "Call 311, and tell them that you want to file a complaint with the Department of Buildings about Airbnb usage in your building," says Himmelstein. "They're anonymous, so your landlord won't know who filed the complaint, and the city will send an inspector to try to determine what's going on."

While it can be difficult for inspectors to determine the nature of the violation, Himmelstein notes that the city has been taking Airbnb violations very seriously in recent months, so it's likely that once the DoB gets involved, your landlord will have to put a stop to their short-term rental scheme.